India asks Bangladesh to hand over ULFA chief

India

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Published: Sunday, April 13, 2008, 12:18 [IST]

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New Delhi, Apr 13 : India has asked Dhaka to hand over United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leader Paresh Barua against whom red corner notices were issued by Interpol. "Paresh Barua is no longer in Bangladesh, but we are working and will definitely take action," Director General of Bangladesh Rifles Major General Shakil Ahmed told reporters at the conclusion of the India-Bangladesh border coordination talks with BSF Major Gen. A.K. Mitra. Intelligence sources said, "Barua is understood to have escaped to Bangkok on a Bangladeshi passport. They said Barua had tried to flee to Pakistan after the BSF-BDR meet last year but was prevented from doing so."

"The Thai capital is a hiding ground for several militant leaders from the Northeast. Top leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), Ulfa and the Jewel Gorlosa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) reside there - at times shuttling between Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand - and co-ordinate operations back home from there," sources added. Ahmed also said ULFA leader Anup Chetia, serving a sentence in a Bangladesh jail at present, was not being extradited because of legal hurdles. India's request for Chetia's deportation has been pending with Bangladesh since 2005, after he completed a seven-year sentence in jail.

He said, "BSF is seeking a positive response from Dhaka regarding handing over of the listed Indian criminals and insurgent leaders."

India has given Bangladesh a list of 117 camps of North-East militants operating in that country and list of seven wanted Bangladeshi criminals.

Ahmed said, "There was a sea change in the tone and tenor of Bangladesh on insurgency in India. Insurgency in the Northeast is a threat to Bangladesh."

"When there is smuggling of arms and criminal activities in the Northeast, some of it will spill over to Bangladesh. An insecure Northeast India is not good for us and Bangladesh will not condone such activities," he added.

The number of camps on the list provided last year has come down from 141 to 117 camps. Most Indian insurgent groups operate from their camps in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.